Spider-Man star Tom Holland is taking a break from acting for the sake of his mental health.
The 27-year-old English actor most recently starred in and produced Apple TV+ series The Crowded Room.
He told Extra he enjoyed learning what it takes to be a producer; however, he admitted it was hard juggling multiple roles.
Holland said he is “no stranger” to hard work, but he said doing the show broke him.
“I’ve lived by the idea that hard work is good work, then again, the show did break me,” he said.
He said there was a time when he was in need of a break so he disappeared to Mexico for a week, where he “laid low” and spent time on a beach.
However, he will now be taking an extended break from acting.
“I’m now taking a year off, and that is a result of how difficult this show was,” Holland said.
“I am excited to see how it turns out. I feel like our hard work wasn’t in vain.”
The Crowded Room tells the story of Danny Sullivan, played by Holland, who was arrested following his involvement in a shooting in 1979.
“Danny’s life story unfolds, revealing elements of the mysterious past that shaped him, and the twists and turns that will lead him to a life-altering revelation,” Apple said in a press release.
The story drew inspiration from Billy Milligan, who was at the centre of a widely publicised trial in the 1970s and Daniel Keyes‘ award-winning non-fiction book The Minds of Billy Milligan.
In the 1970s, Milligan was charged with multiple felonies, including rape.
He went on the become the first person in the US to be acquitted on grounds of insanity, after Milligan was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder.
In his interview with Extra, Holland revealed the subject matter, on top of his role as producer, was a lot, saying production was a “tough time”.
“We were exploring certain emotions that I have definitely never experienced before and then on top of that, being a producer, dealing with the day-to-day problems that come with any film set, just added that extra level of pressure,” he said.
In May, when speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Holland admitted he had difficulty detaching himself from the role and he started seeing himself in the character.
“I remember having a bit of a meltdown at home and thinking, like, ‘I’m going to shave my head. I need to shave my head because I need to get rid of this character’,” he said.
However, he did not shave his head, as they were still shooting the series.
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Celebrities take time out
Holland is not the only celebrity to announce they are taking a break.
Fellow Marvel actor Chris Hemsworth said he would be taking a break from the limelight after finding out he was between eight and 10 times more likely than the average person to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
However, the Australian actor does have several projects coming out over the next few years.
Last year, Jonah Hill said he would be taking a break from promoting films due to anxiety.
Just days ago, Lewis Capaldi said he would be taking a short break from work, including any performances, to take care of his mental health.
He said he would be taking a break for three weeks until he plays at Glastonbury and that the past few months had been “full on both mentally and physically”.
Selena Gomez also took a break from music to look after her mental and physical health.
This year, she also stepped back from social media for a bit, while fans speculated she was embroiled in a feud with her ex-boyfriend’s wife.
